Danville Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Danville, Virginia 24540
Monday, November 17, 1986 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED FLYING AROUND THE AIRPORT AS THE WEATHER DETERIORATED. THE PILOT HAD ELECTED TO DEPART AT ABOUT 2345 EST AFTER OBTAINING A WEATHER BRIEFING 6 & 1/2 HOURS BEFORE. THE PLT HAD A TOTAL OF ABOUT 83 HOURS FLYING TIME AND DID NOT HAVE ANY INSTRUMENT TIME LOGGED IN HIS LOGBOOK SINCE OBTAINING HIS PRIVATE PLT CERTIFICATE OVER A YEAR PRIOR TO THIS ACCIDENT. WITNESSES SAW THE ACFT DISAPPEAR IN AND OUT OF FOG. THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES IN A RIGHT WING LOW, RIGHT TURN BEFORE COMING TO REST NEXT TO AN ABANDONDED HOUSE WITHIN 1,000 FT OF A RWY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/17/1986
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 15
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City DANVILLE
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 24540
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport DANVILLE MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID DAN
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2602
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 17 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 135
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 33676
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N43905
NTSB Number BFO87FA009
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-161
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-161
Aircraft Serial Number 288516043
Certified Max Gross Weight 2440
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Oct 30 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours 458
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GENERAL AVIATION INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 457
Aircraft Owner City DANVILLE
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 24540
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GENERAL AVIATION INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address MUNICIPAL AIRPORT
Operator City DANVILLE
Operator State VA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 24541
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 2345
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --